Support roller

Abstract

A support roller, particularly for rolling mill systems or equipment for casting, conveying or straightening metal products, including a cylindrical roller axle, a hollow cylindrical outer ring arranged concentrically in relation to the roller axle, and a plurality of rolling bodies arranged between the roller axle and the outer ring. The roller axle further including a cavity, at least in certain sections between its central axis and a load introduction point. Due to the provision of the cavity the load rating and the service life of the support roller are increased.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A support roll for rolling mill systems or equipment for casting, conveying, or leveling of metal products, comprising:
 a substantially cylindrical roll axle; 
 a hollow cylindrical outer ring arranged concentrically to the roll axle; and 
 a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the roll axle and the outer ring, 
 wherein the roll axle, at least in certain sections, comprises a cavity arranged eccentrically to a center axis of the roll axle, the cavity being arranged substantially between the center axis and a point at which load is introduced into a circumference of the support roll, wherein the cavity is configured as a bore that extends substantially parallel to the center axis of the roll axle, wherein a center axis of the bore is located in a plane passing between the load introduction point and the center axis of the roll axle. 
 
     
     
       2. The support roll according to  claim 1 , wherein the cavity extends at least over a length of the plurality of rolling elements in a manner parallel to the center axis of the roll axle and/or extends over at least 40% of a length of the roll axle. 
     
     
       3. The support roll according to  claim 2 , wherein the cavity extends over at least 80% of the length of the roll axle. 
     
     
       4. The support roll according to  claim 1 , wherein the bore has a diameter which is between 50% and 95% of a radius of the roll axle. 
     
     
       5. The support roll according to  claim 4 , wherein the bore has a diameter between 75% and 90% of the radius of the roll axle. 
     
     
       6. The support roll according to  claim 1 , wherein the roll axle has a least wall thickness remaining next to the bore in a direction toward the load introduction point that is at least 5% of a radius of the roll axle. 
     
     
       7. The support roll according to  claim 6 , wherein the least wall thickness is at least 10% of the radius of the roll axle. 
     
     
       8. The support roll according to  claim 1 , wherein the roll axle has a least wall thickness remaining next to the bore in a direction toward the load introduction point that is no more than 50% of a radius of the roll axle. 
     
     
       9. The support roll according to  claim 8 , wherein the least wall thickness is no more than 25% of the radius of the roll axle. 
     
     
       10. The support roll according to  claim 1 , wherein the rolling elements are configured as ball elements or cylinder elements. 
     
     
       11. The support roll according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer ring and/or the rolling elements each have a cross sectional thickness of between 20% and 50% of a diameter of the roll axle. 
     
     
       12. The support roll according to  claim 11 , wherein the outer ring and/or the rolling elements each have a cross sectional thickness of between 25% and 40% of the diameter of the roll axle. 
     
     
       13. The support roll according to  claim 1 , further comprising an inner ring arranged between the roll axle and the rolling elements to protect the roll axle from mechanical abrasion. 
     
     
       14. The support roll according to  claim 13 , wherein the inner ring has a maximum cross-sectional thickness of less than 20% of a radius of the roll axle. 
     
     
       15. The support roll according to  claim 14 , wherein the maximum cross-sectional thickness of the inner ring is less than 10% of the radius of the roll axle. 
     
     
       16. A roll arrangement for rolling mill systems or equipment for casting, conveying, or straightening of metal products, comprising:
 a support roll according to  claim 1 ; and 
 means for supporting the support roll. 
 
     
     
       17. The roll arrangement according to  claim 16 , wherein the supporting means includes a bearing block. 
     
     
       18. The roll arrangement according to  claim 16 , wherein the roll axle is supported in stationary manner by the support means. 
     
     
       19. A straightening, casting, or rolling machine comprising at least one support roll according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       20. A method for producing a support roll comprising a substantially cylindrical roll axle, a hollow cylindrical outer ring arranged concentrically to the roll axle, and a plurality of rolling elements arranged between the roll axle and the outer ring, wherein the roll axle, at least in certain sections, comprises a cavity arranged eccentrically to a center axis of the roll axle, the cavity being arranged substantially between the center axis and a point at which load is introduced into a circumference of the support roll wherein the cavity is configured as a bore that extends substantially parallel to the center axis of the roll axle wherein a center axis of the bore is located in a plane passing between the load introduction point and the center axis of the roll axle, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a roll axle; 
 introducing an eccentric bore into the roll axle so that the bore extends substantially parallel to the center axis of the roll axle wherein a center axis of the bore is located in a lane passing between the load introduction point and the center axis of the roll axle; and 
 assembling the roll axle, rolling elements, and a hollow cylindrical outer ring to form the support roll, wherein the rolling elements form a rotatable bearing between the outer ring and the roll axle.